Janet Elizabeth's computer help

Welcome to Elizabeth's Computer Help for beginners. Here you will find helpful links and tips to help people who are just starting to learn to use computers.

In particular I will show you:

• how to make the screen's text larger so it's easier to read
• how to train your mouse so it's easier for you to control the pointer
• how to use the keys on your keyboard and where you can get some practice finding them
• the best places on the web for leaflets and videos which were written or presented especially for computer beginners
• How to understand web pages and be a more discerning reader
• How to make you computer easier to use or more accessible
• How to be safe when using the internet
• How to stay fit and healthy when using a computer - avoid back ache and RSI.

Want to make the text a bit bigger?

You can make the text on this page bigger using ctrl plus (cmd-plus on a Mac). This helpful technique should work for all web sites and is described fully in JE's train your computer accessibility page.

You don't like learning from a computer screen?

If you don't like reading from a computer screen, you can print these computer help web pages. Look in the coloured area above this page for a Print icon looking like the one on the right. Click on it to start printing ...

.. or ask someone to print the pages for you. Then you can read them calmly from the "print-out" on paper.

Using the links on Janet Elizabeth's JE web pages

Images, icons or picture links, like the JE link shown on the right will open a new web page open in a new window and the old page hides behind it. To see the old page again, you must close the new window by clicking on the top right X cross.

Text links or blue clickies, for example this link to my computing activities, will open the new web page in the same window as the old one. To see the old page again, you must click your browser's "Back button", which is a sort of arrow, top left.

Online videos and tutorial guides to computing

If you have never used a computer before, get someone to help connect your computer to the internet so you can watch some of the many online tutorials about computers such as those listed below.

Training your Mouse

As with most skills, the best way to learn is to play a game. There is a wide range of mouse-training games online at Palm Beach County Library's Mousing Around web page. Choose a game by clicking on its picture or the corresponding blue clickie. Why not try one game from each section?

Finding your Keys

The BBC Webwise site offers a computer Keyboard lesson where you can watch a video and practise with the Keyboard Shooting Gallery. If your own keyboard looks a bit different it will still have the same keys, they will just be in slightly different places.
You can learn about touch typing at BBC Schools' Dance Mat Typing Level 1.

When you have finished practising with mouse and keyboard, I hope you will be feeling more confident, and ready to find out more.

All about the computer

Take a break, if you haven't already, before moving on. To learn about the computer equipment, have a look at the short BBC video called Computer Basics.

The BBC Webwise pages offer a number of video-based course about computers. Have a browse through them by starting at bbc.co.uk/webwise/courses/.

When you are looking at BBC Webwise pages, look near the bottom of each page (below the video) for where it says "Print Topic PDF". Click there or on little the green printer icon to see the same information in a ready to print format. Then get a friend to print it.

Some really useful pages suitable to print

If you find it helps to have explanations on paper (known as "hard-copy"), you might like Digital Unite's Learning Zone at learning.digitalunite.com. Digital Unite was created for older people. After you have followed my link, look at their left-hand panel for "Browse the Guides" and click on the first one - Beginners' Help.
Choose one of their "guides" (pdf files) from the list. I suggest you choose "Using the Mouse" and "What is the Internet?". You can read these short documents on the computer screen or ask someone to help you print them.

There are many web pages, and they live on the Internet along with e-mail servers and other things you never see. A good place to learn about web pages is in the BBC WebWise guide to computers and the Internet.

Go to bbc.co.uk/webwise and then, from the list of Courses on the right, choose Internet Basics.

Accessibility is not just for older people or disabled people - everyone can benefit if your screen is easier to read from and your computer is easier to handle.

The best place to learn how to train your computer, whether Windows or Mac, is to use BBC's accessibility help ... My Web My Way at bbc.co.uk/accessibility

Try my own JE's page as well, Janet Elizabeth's page about making your computer easier to use: Training your computer.

There are criminals on the internet who want to steal from you. They want your passwords, your online identity and your money as well. They also want to collect your friends' e-mail addresses for SPAM. Make sure you protect yourself and your computer. Be safe and remember ...

• If it looks too good to be true ... it probably is!
• Never type your password, or other secret information in response to an unsolicited message

Visit my page called Be Safe to find out more about how to protect yourself and your friends.

Follow the link to see how to sit at your computer without developing back pain or repetitive strain injuries.

The Common Craft Show

This offers a series of short, explanatory videos in plain language by Lee and Sachi LeFever, including

• The World Wide Web in Plain English
• Phishing Scams in Plain English and
• RSS in Plain English.

To see the full list, visit CommonCraft.com and click on "Browse Videos". Then choose the one you want. To start a video, click on the button that looks like a "Play" button on a normal video or DVD player.

Age UK - Work and Learning - Technology and Internet

Getting online in later life opens up a world of cost savings, says Age UK, and for many the internet can provide an invaluable way to stay in touch with friends and family around the world.

Age UK's Work and Learning section has helpful web pages about technology and the Internet. Their Guide to Getting Online contains instructions for using email, joining facebook or twitter, sharing your photographs on flickr, or using skype to talk to friends and family over the internet - whether they're down the road on the other side of the world.

BBC Webwise

BBC Webwise is a special section of the BBC web site dedicated to helping you use computers. It offers a range of short courses on many aspects of copmuting. Each course starts with a short explanatory video then gives you a chance some to practice some of the skills you have learned about, which is quite fun.
The web address is bbc.co.uk/webwise

Webwise is much more than a web tutor. As well as helping you learn about the web it shows you the computer equipment, and there are videos and exercises for setting up and sending e-mail, managing photos and music, keeping yourself and your computer safe, shopping online and much more.

Abby and Me

Abby Stokes believes that "if my mother can learn the computer, anyone can" and her web site, Abby and me is written for oldies. Abby has also written books with her mother in mind: "It's never too late to love a computer", and "Is This Thing On? A Late Bloomer's Computer Handbook".